Tony Mulcahy (Fine Gael)

Will the Minister consider increasing the grant for group sewerage schemes from €2,200 to a more realistic amount, say, €4,000 or €5,000, which would be nearer the grant of €6,000 for group water schemes. In the current climate there may not be many more group water schemes but there will be many more group sewerage schemes, given the issue of septic tanks. A substantially increased grant would incentivise many communities to connect, particularly in urban areas, where the mains system is within a couple of hundred metres.

Recently I attended a meeting of the Woodlawn Estate residents association, Loughville, Ennis, County Clare. There are 37 septic tanks in an area of about 600 m away from the mains. This is a sensitive area, being part of the Drumcliffe water catchment area. I have no doubt this area will be one of the first to be inspected. If a reasonably substantial grant structure was in place there would be a quicker buy in to connect to the mains systems and this would deal with the concentration of septic tanks in many areas.

In many rural areas there are groups of ten, 12 and 15 septic tanks in the open countryside. A more substantial grant system would encourage many people to put in place a larger group system.